Ship HistoryNamed for Mount Amagi. Amagi means heavenly castle. Previously, there was a battle cruiser also named Amagi. Built by Mitsubishi at Nagasaki. Laid down October 1, 1942, launched October 15, 1943, completed August 10, 1944 and comissioned at Nagasaki.

Wartime History Proceeded to Oita to become the flagship of Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's Mobile Fleet. During September to December 1944, never left the Inland Sea, operating between Gunchu, Kure, and Hashirajima for excercises and training.

On January 20, 1945 at Iwakuni, departing February 1, for Kure arriving February 10. On February 24 undocked.

On March 19, 1945, while anchored in Kure
Harbor northwest of Haruna the carrier is hit by US Navy aircraft, a bomb hit the edge of the flight deck causing minor damage but jamming the elevator in the downward position. The carrier's gunners claim 12 attacking aircraft shot down. Afterwards, repaired and refit at Kure.

On March 28, deactivated and moved to Mitsuko-jima in a semi-permanent mooring and Camouflaged. On April 20 reassigned for 'special duty' as a a reserve ship of the 4th Kure Naval District and manned by only a skeleton crew. During the remained of April until July, anchored in a semi-permanent mooring in Kure
Harbor starboard side 50 meters offshore from the southwest end of Mitsuko-jima Island.

Sinking History On July 27, 1945, US Navy TF-38 carrier aircraft attack Kure. The first wave does not cause any damage to the carrier, but near misses bracket the bow on both sides. One landed very close along the port side blasting a hole in the hull fifteen feet below the waterline which caused the forward bomb magazine to immediately flood and list to the port side.

Around 10:00am hit by two bombs only minutes apart. The first is a 500-pound bomb that detonates in the starboard passageway beside No.2 stack, severely damaging the stack and blew a small hole in the starboard hull below the flight deck.

Next, a 2,000 pound bomb hit almost exactly on the centerline dead amidships between the elevators and penetrated 25' and exploded either against or just above the upper hangar deck. The blast blew apart the adjacent hangar walls and flight deck. The flight deck for a length of 200 feet was bulged up, the sides of the hangar bulkheads amidships blown out and a 50 meter section hurled out and overboard. The blast shock dropped the forward elevator and caused a large longitudinal crack in the forward flight deck that caused the deck to droop downward. The bomb blew a 25-foot hole in the upper hangar deck and fragments of it passed through the lower hangar deck below, destroying watertight integrity of decks and bulkheads in the lower amidships over a wide area.

The Commanding Officer and others miraculously survived the blast, and there was little fire. Afterwards, a 5-inch rocket hit the intact part of the flight deck to starboard between the forward elevator and the base of the island. At the same time near-misses were landing close alongside to port, detonating below the waterline, whose fragments riddled the port shell in places. Boiler Rooms # 4 and 6 on the port side began to flood, and the carrier began to settle deeper into the water.

The captain orders abandons ship around noon. With some reluctance, the engineering watch evacuates, finally moving to do so after an additional near-miss to port abreast the after elevator grazes an anti-aircraft gun and opened the port after engine room to the sea.

At 1530, attacked by another 20 planes, after which, when the port after engine room begins to flood, the last watch evacuates. However, hearing the survivors reports that evening the Kure Navy Yard Superintendent censures the premature abandonment, and at the end of the day the carrier is still afloat and with only a slight port list and trim at the bow. Her flight deck however, is completely demolished.

The next day, July 28, 1945 the carrier is attacked again by TF 38 aircraft. The carrier suffered only one, possibly two additional direct hits, many near-misses to port opened plating and accelerated flooding. One bomb observed as a direct hit on the flight deck near the port deck edge opposite the No.2 stack. Amagi begins to list more notably to port, and as she heels water enters the gashes torn in the hull above the waterline by the fragments of exploding bombs alongside. Though a small fire-fighting crew from Kure Navy Yard is aboard, they report that progressive flooding has spread over the third deck.

During the night, the carrier listing through the night and by morning of July 29, the bow was nosing under. At 1000 hours she lurched sharply to port, and capsized, toppling over to an angle of 70 degrees. The bulk of the ruined flight deck and the two elevators fell overboard when she did. She grounded with bow submerged and flight deck canted slanting into the water, starboard screws exposed. Although abandoned, one officer and 4 Petty Officers and men were still assigned to the ship as caretakers.

ShipwreckOn October 13, 1945, the ship was handed over to the US Navy. On November 28, 1945 the ship was inspected by US Navy technicians.

Salvage & Scrapping On February 16, 1946 the ship was authorized to be raised and scrapped. The ship was righted on November 13, 1946 and re-floated on December 5, 1946, and scrapping began. The ship was completely scrapped on December 12, 1947.

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Last Updated
May 3, 2016

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